The Future of Residential Care for Older People in Scotland

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The Scottish Government and COSLA convened a Ministerial Task Force on Residential Care for Older People in Scotland, with a specific objective of examining at a strategic level the key purpose and desired structure of residential care services fit for the aspirations and needs of future generations.

The Task Force have now published their report, along with a series of recommendations. These recommendations are set within an overarching 'Vision' which captures the kind of care services the Task Force would like to see created as a result of their work and which provided a focus for the work of the Task Force:

To support older people in Scotland, now and in the future, to live in homes where they feel safe and respected as members of their communities. We will do this by:

Adapting person-centred and personalised care and support solutions to people's changing needs;

Developing accommodation and care options that are flexible, built around people's needs and also part of a wider community;

Ensuring that rights to privacy and dignity are respected at all times;

Nurturing a caring workforce which is passionate about delivering high quality person-centred services, and developing caring as a career of choice;

Planning services responsibly to develop sustainable communities;

Making funding and charges simple and transparent; and

Assuring quality and safety.

Directly applicable to the work of BESiDE, the recommendations of the Task Force will perform a key strategic role in the future of residential care in Scotland.